Fixing guns adapted to drive nails and the like, such as for example studs and plugsin hard compact materials



Jam 15, 1963 J. BUMILLER 3,072,911

SUCH

FIXING GUNS ADAPTED TO DRIVE NAILS AND THE LIKE,

AS FOR EXAMPLE STUDS AND PLUGS IN HARD COMPACT MATERIALS Filed NOV. 2l,1958 /n Ven for JA cQL/Es UM/LLER 3,7Z,9ll Patented dan. l5, i9333,072,911 FIXING GUNS ABAPTED TG BREVE NAMES AND THE LIKE, SUCH AS FREXAMPLE STUDS AND PLUGS l HARD COMPACT MATERIALS `acques Bumiller,Valence, France, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Sarrni, SA. SocietadAppiications de Recherches Minieres et Industrielles, Lenzerheide,Grisons, Switzeriand Filed Nov. 2l, 1958, Ser. No. 775,484 Claimspriority, application France Dec. 4, 1957 4 Claims. (Cl. 1-445) Thepresent invention relates to improvements in lixing guns which drive,under the effect of an explosive charge, nails and the like, such asstuds and plugs, into hard compact materials. The main purpose of saidimprovements is to afford greater safety and greater facility in the useof this lcind of device, these improvements heing preferably utilized incombination, because in this way they afford maximum advantage, it beingunderstood that they could also be used individually, without departingfrom the scope of the invention, in guns of different types.

A irst improvement is applicable to fixing guns of the type having abreech telescopically movable over the barrel of the gun so that thetiring pin can only perform its function if said breech is moved farenough axially over said barrel (the end of which is urged by the useragainst the surface intended to receive the nail), this improvementhaving for purpose to allow normal operation of the gun only when adetachable splinter guard has been placed in position on the device andbeing characterized in that said device comprises a ring which isstationary in the axial direction and elastically contractable towardits axis and is capable of engaging with the barrel so as to prevent thelatter from sliding when said ring is in its contracted position, whichring is capable of being expanded and separated from the barrel by theaction of separating means carried by the splinter guard.

ln a preferred embodiment of this improvement, the ring isadvantageously a ring which is split in a diametral plane, the elementsof the split ring being tightened together by tightening meanssurrounding the ring.

The separating means for expanding the contractable ring are preferablyconstituted by a tube of the splinter guard, which tube is adapted to beengaged, in the forward end of the part of the gun in which the barrelis slidable, in part-cylindrical elements rigid with the ring.

When the gun comprises a safety sleeve in which the barrel is slidable,the part-cylindrical elements and the tightening means surrounding thelatter are located in a recess or chamber provided at the forward end ofthe sleeve.

In this arrangement, when the splinter guard is withdrawn, the splitring engages with a recess in the barrel and opposes the slidingmovement of the breech relative to the barrel and, in other words,prevents the gun from being tired. On the other hand, when the splinterguard is in position, its associated mounting tube maintains the splitring open so that the latter is unable to engage the recess in thebarrel and the breech is free to slide, that is, telescopically moveover the barrel when the latter is applied against the hard surface andpermit firing the gun.

Another improvement is characterized in that the barrel is slidable in abarrel-carrying body and is urged rearwardly of the body by elasticallyyieldable means which bear against the barrel and the body respectively.The fact that the barrel is thus slidable affords various possibilities.One of the latter is the easy and cheap production of a light barrel byutilizing a thin-walled barrel only the rear part of which is a slidelit in a part of said barrel-carrying body which has a thicker wall andis relatively short, the chamber adapted to contain the propellingcharge being provided in said part at the end of the barrel.

The thin part of the barrel which protrudes forwardly from thethick-walled part of said body merely guides the ixing nail, thepressure of the propelling gases transversely of the barrel being borneby the thick-walled part of the barrel-carrying body up to the regionwhere the barrel extends out of said thick-walled part. Said pressuredrops to such value in the part of the thin barrel located outside thebody that this part is capable of resisting this pressure.

In a particular and advantageous embodiment, the rear thick-walled partof said barrel-carrying body is extended forwardly beyond the part ofthe body from which the thin barrel protrudes by a part which has athinner wall and forms a sleeve radially spaced away from the barrel,the elastically yieldable element interposed between the barrel and thebarrel-carrying body being located in the annular space thus providedbetween said sleeve of the body and the barrel.

Another of said possibilities is the obtainment of a fixing gun in whichthe barrel remains well applied against the surface receiving the nailor the like, despite the recoil, until the propelled nail has fullypenetrated said surface. This is obtained in so arranging the gun thatthe slidable barrel has its rear end exposed to the pressure of thepropelling gases and thus receives from the latter a forward Vaxialthrust so that the recoil force to which the barrel-carrying body issubjected and which displaces the latter rearwardly cannot displace thebarrel before the force due to the compression of the elasticallyyieldable means interposed between the barrel and the barrel-carryingbody and the axial forward thrust exerted by the pressure of thepropelling gas on the barrel have become equal.

In a gun having a safety sleeve and permitting a relative axial slidingand a relative rotation between the barrel and the sleeve, the sleeve isguided axially and rotationally on sa'd barrel-carrying body.

Another improvement is that the barrel-carrying body is pivoted to thebreech in such manner as to be capable of pivoting with the barrel topermit loading the breech, the latter preferably having for this purposean attached member adjacent its forward end, this member being in theform of a fork between the branches of which the barrel-carrying body ispivotable about a pivot axis which is preferably substantiallyorthogonal to the grip of the device.

It is furthermore advantageous that said pivot axis intersect the boreof the barrel, and even intersect the axis of the barrel. In this way,when the explosive charge is tired, it exerts only a very small or nopivoting moment.

In a particular embodiment of this improvement, the rear part of thethin barrel intersects the pivot axis of the pivotal mounting of thebarrel-carrying body on the breech.

Preferably, in the case of guns in which the breech and barrel arebrought to a ring position by a relative sliding and a driving of one ofthese two parts 'wilh respect to the other in opposition to the actionof elastically yieldable means within the breech the barrel is pivotablymounted on an attached member capable of sliding in the breech inopposition to the action of said elastically yieldable means, so thatthe pivot axis of the pivotable mounting is located within the breechand the pivotable mounting is thus blocked by the latter at least insaid position for tiring.

Another improvement is that the ammunition is driven or forced into theloading chamber of the gun by com- 3 ing into contact with the closingmember for this chamber in opposition to the action of elasticallyyieldable means adapted to ensure the extraction or release of theammunition cartridge in the course of opening the gun.y

In the particular case in which the last-mentioned improvement isutilized in a gun having a barrel which is slidable relative to theloading chamber, the arrange- ,ment is such that the insertion of theammunition by the action thereon of said closing member results in aslight axial sliding of the barrel relative to the barrelcarrying bodyand a consequential compression of the elastically yieldable meansinterposed between the barrel and the barrel-carrying body, which meansthenceforth perform the function of elastically yieldable means forextracting the ammunition.

Said closing member for the loading chamber is advantageouslyconstituted by a face of the member to which the barrel is pivoted, forexample the bottom or transverse wall of the last-mentioned member whenit is in the form of a fork, the rear face of the loading chamber beingush with said closing face in the closed position of the gun, that is,when the axis of the barrel is substantially in alignment with the axisof the breech.

A further improvement, also applicable when the gun comprises a systemof safety and arming slots usually provided in the breech (and, ifdesired, in a member surrounding the breech), is that a pin or lugslidable inthese slots is constituted Yby one end of the pivot pin ofthe barrel, which end extends beyond the outer face of the member inwhich said pivot pin is journalled.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe ensuing description of one embodiment of a gun for driving nails andthe like incorporating the aforementioned improvements, with referenceto the accompanying drawing, to which the invention is in no wayrestricted.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the loaded gun in itsinoperative position;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the breech;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the gun in its inoperative position;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along lines VIV-IV and V-V ofFIG. l, and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view showing the safety slot system provided inthe breech and the protruding pivot pin of the pivotal mounting betweenthe barrel-carrying body and the fork, which pin cooperates with saidgrooves.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the barrel 1 of the gun isslidably mounted in a barrel-carrying body 2 which latter is slidable ina safety sleeve 3 which is connected to a holding grip 4 which normallybears against the frame which carries the breech 6 and is rigid with thebutt 5a.

Bearing against a shoulder on the barrel 1, is a ring 7 which acts as asupport for one end of an elastically example, rubber and whose otherend bears against an abutment ring 9 held stationary in the body 2.'I'he barrel 1 is thus biased rearwardly in the body 2. Owing to thisarrangement, the cartridge D (containing the propelling charge) of thenail P, which cartridge is conical Vand is introduced in the body 2(when the latter has been pivoted to the position shown in dot-dash linein FIG. 1) is suitably urged against the rear end of the barrel-whichconstitutes a shoulder when the barrelV is brought to the closedAposition shown in full line, in which position the rear end of thecartridge D is subjected to an axial pressure exerted by a closingmember to be described hereinafter.

In the forward part of the. sleeve 3 Vand abutting the forward end ofthe body 2, is a split ring 10 whose two portions, divided along adiametral plane, are subjected to lyieldable sleeve or tube 8 which iscomposed of, for

a centripetal clamping or tightening action by an elastically yieldablesleeve 11. When nothing opposes this clamping action, this ring 10`engages in an annular recess 1a in the barrel 1 and holds the latteraxially in position. The safety sleeve 3 (together with the grip 4) isheld (against the frame 5) in the position shown in FIG. l by means of aspring 31 surrounding the forward portion of the barrel land abutting,at one end, a barrel muzzle nut 1c and, at

the other end, the split ring 10.

The splinter guard 12, which is constituted by a pressed sheet of metal,comprises at its rear part a mounting tube 13 adapted to be engaged inthe split ring 10 and to open the latter in opposition to the action ofthe clamping eect of the sleeve 11. Thus, when the splinter guard isplaced in position, the barrel 1 and the elements associated .therewithare slidable axially relative to the elements The rear part of thebarrel-carrying body 2 is connected by pivot pin 14 to a fork 15 whosebranches are integral with a closing member 16. The assembly 15-16 (withthe elements associated therewith, that is, the body 2 and the barrel 1)is slidable in the breech 6 which incloses a safety spring 17, one endof which bears against the transverse end wall 6a of the breech whereasthe other exerts a thrust in the forward direction on theclosing member16, that is, on the assembly 1-2-3-14-15-16, which can Valso effect amovement of rotation about the longitudinal axis of the gun relative tothe assembly 5-6, when the gun is in its closed position (the barrelbeing disposed on the axis of the gun).

The aforementioned rotational movement can be controlled by the grip 4which is connected to the sleeve 3, the latter having, to this end, alongitudinal recess 3a, in which is slidable a pin 18 rwhich is rigidwith the abutment ring 9 and extends into a longitudinal opening 2aformed in the forward end of the body 2.

l The amplitude of the rotational and longitudinal movements of theassembly 123-14-15-16 relative to the assembly 5-6 is determined by anarrangement of safety Vslots carried by the assembly 5-6 and shown inFIG. 6.

This arrangement comprises a transverse slot 19 communicating with alongitudinal slot 20. Movable in said two slots is a pin 14aconstituting an extension of the pivot pin 14 (interconnecting theelements 2 and 15). The slot 20 has such length that, when the grip 4has caused rotation of the assembly 1-2-3-14-15-16 through such an anglethat the pin 14a moves from its position shown in FIG. 6 to a positionin which it is in alignment with the -slot 20, it is possible in firmlyapplying the forward end of the barrel 1 against the surface which is toreceive the nail P, to drive forward the breech 6 until the splinterguard 12 comes into contact with said surface whereupon the gun is readyto be fired, the breech having, at the same time, been sufficientlymoved forwardly with respect to lthe ammunition cartridge D and theassembly 1-2-3-14- 15-16, in order that said cartridge is encountered bythe firing pin 21 whose mechanism will now be described.

The firing pin 21 is carried by a bronze skirt 22 which is freelyslidable in the rear part 6a of the breech 6 and which a spring 23biases forwardly. A yielding ring (circular clip) 24, constituting anabutment, retains the skirt 22 in its forward position. Fixed in theskirt 22, for example by a screw-thread arrangement, is an armature 25,for example of mild steel. Slidable at the rear of said armature in the'skirt 22, which acts as a guide therefor, is a permanent magnet 26rigid with the rear end of a rod 27 which is mounted for slidingmovement outside the breech and has a forward end in the form of atrigger 28. A springr29 ordinarily urges the magnet 26 against thearmature 25. When the user depresses the trigger 28,

the latter moves rearwardly with the permanent magnet 26V which latterdraws back the armature 25 and the attached skirt 22 (which compressesthe spring 23) and the ring pin Z1. This rearward movement continuesuntil the force of the spring 23 overcomes the force of attraction ofthe magnet 26. At this moment the armature 25 is forced from the magnet26 and the assembly 21-22-25 is thrown forwardly by the force exerted bythe percussion spring 23.

When the trigger 28 is released, the magnet 26 is urged forwardly by thereturn spring 29 and once more comes into contact with the armature 25.

This particular embodiment of the firing device is, moreover, applicableto firearms in general.

It will be observed that the skirt 22 and the firing pin 21 are slightlyeccentric relative to the axis of the barrel 1, and the closing member16E has for the passage of the firing pin an aperture 30 which iseccentric to the same extent. In order that the firing pin be capable ofpassing through the aperture 30, these two elements must occupy the sameangular position relative to the longiudinal axis of the gun. As theangular position of the firing pin is fixed, alignment between thefiring pin and the aperture 30 is achieved when the assembly1-2-3-14-15-16 is rotated by the grip 4 for permitting the rearwardmovement of this assembly.

The gun improved in the manner described hereinbefore operates in thefollowing manner:

To load the gun, vthe barrel 1 and its associated elements are swung tothe position indicated by the axis X-X. In this position, the loadingchamber formed in the rear of the barrel-carrying body 2 is accessibleand the ammunition can be engaged therein (the nail P and the cartridgeD). The cartridge D protrudes slightly out of the body 2, since it isurged rearwardly by the end transverse face of the lbarrel 1, whichlatter is subjected to the action of the elastically yieldable sleeve 8.

When the gun is once more closed, the rear face of the cartridge D comesinto contact with the forward face of the closing member 16 whichthereupon forces the ammunition fully into the loading chamber. Whilethe ammunition is being forced into the latter, the barrel 1 movesslightly forward and compresses the el^stically yieldable sleeve 8 andthe gun is suitably maintained in the preparatory firing position.

When firing the gun, the forward end of the barrel 1 is firmly appliedagainst the surface intended to receive the nail P until the splinterguard 12 encounters said surface, the grip 4 having been previouslyrotated which alone permits the forward movement of the breech withrespect to the barrel (with the elements connected thereto), the pin 14asliding along the longitudinal slot 20.

At the end of this forward movement of the breech, the ammunition issufficiently near the firing pin to be struck by the latter. It will berecalled that, owing to the rotation of the grip 4, the firing pin 21 isbrought in alignment with the aperture 30.

When the trigger is depressed, the firing pin is first urged rearwardlyand then suddenly projected forwardly (when the armature leaves themagnet) and causes the ammunition to be fired.

As soon as the nail P has been fired, it is merely necessary to oncemore swing the barrel 1 open to easiy withdraw the cartridge D which hasbeen slightly forced out of its housing in the body 2 by the barrelwhich has moved rearwardly in the body 2 under the effect of theelastically yieldable sleeve 8.

It can be seen that the improved gun incorporates a great number ofsafety measures, namely it is impossible to fire the gun if, forexample, the splinter guard is not in position or if the user has notboth rotated the grip 4 and applied the barrel against the surfacereceiving the nail.

It is obvious that embodiment of the improvements described hereinbeforeand shown in the acompanying drawing have been given merely by way ofexample, it being understood that the invention is not limited theretoand any modification of details therein can be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Fixing gun for driving under the effect of an explosive chargearticles of the type consisting of plugs, nails and studs, in hardcompact materials, comprising: a breech; a barrel-carrying body; abarrel disposed in said body; -a fork rotatable relative to the breech;a pivot pin interconnecting said body and the fork; said fork comprisinga closing member and having an aperture eccentric relative to the axisof the barrel; a firing pin disposed in the breech so as to be eccentricrelative to the axis of the barrel and engageable in said aperture inthe closing member only when the assemby comprising the barrel, saidblock and the fork is turned through a suitable angle relative to thebreech.

2. Fixing gun for driving under the effect of an explosive chargearticles of the type consisting of plugs, nails and studs, in hardcompact materials, comprising: a breech provided with safety slots; agrip connected to the breech; a fork slidable and rotatable in thebreech; a barrel-carrying body having a rear part pivotable in the fork;a pivot pin interconnecting said body and the fork, said pin comprisingan extension portion which extends into said slots; a barrel supportedby said body and slidable in the latter; spring means interposed betweenthe barrel and said body for urging the barrel in said body toward thebreech; elastically yieldable means disposed in the breech for urgingthe fork forwardly; striker means disposed in the breech; a trigger foractuating said striker means; a safety sleeve surrounding the forwardpart of said body extending out of the breech; and second elasticallyyieldable means interposed between the barrel and the safety sleeve forurging the safety sleeve against the breech.

3. A fixing gun for driving under the effect of an exposive chargearticles of the type consisting of plugs, nails and studs, in hardcompact materials, comprising a breech, a safety sleeve, abarrel-carrying body provided in said safety sleeve, said safety sleevebeing disposed forward of said breech on said body so as to be axiallyslidable relative to said body, a barrel axially slidable in said body,and spring means interposed between the barrel and said body for urgingthe barrel toward the breech relative to said body, said body having inits part adjacent the breech a thick wall and in another part beyond thepoint where the barrel protrudes from said body, a thin cylindrical wallconstituting a sleeve radially spaced away from the barrel so as toprovide between said sleeve and the barrel an annular space in whichsaid spring means are disposed.

4. A fixing gun for driving, under the effect of an explosive charge,articles of the type consisting of plugs, nails and studs, in hardcompact materials, comprising: a breech, striker means disposed in saidbreech, a fork having two branches, said fork sliding axially in saidbreech, a safety spring engaging against said fork and exerting thereona forwardly directed force normally separating said striking means, abarrel carrying body carried by said fork and pivoted about an axisperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fixing gun, and a loandingchamber for receiving a cartridge, said loading chamber being arrangedin said barrel carrying body and being closable at its backward end bysaid fork when said barrel carrying body is in alignment with thelongitudinal axis of the fixing gun, a barrel disposed slidingly in saidbarrel carrying body, the inner end thereof engaging the forward end ofsaid loading chamber, and spring means bearing against the barrel andthe barrel carrying body, respectively, thereby urging the barrelslidingly backward and bringing it into engagement with the loadingchamber, said loading chamber thus having a variable length as a resultof the longitudinal position of the barrel in the barrel carrying body.

(References on following page) 3,072,13 1 1 7 8 References Cited in thele of vthis patentV 2,923,940 Kravle Feb. 9, 1960 l et al July 19;FOREIGN PATENTS 1,540,494 Olszowiec June 2, 1925

1. FIXING GUN FOR DRIVING UNDER THE EFFECT OF AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGEARTICLES OF THE TYPE CONSISTING OF PLUGS, NAILS AND STUDS, IN HARDCOMPACT MATERIALS, COMPRISING: A BREECH; A BARREL-CARRYING BODY; ABARREL DISPOSED IN SAID BODY; A FORK ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO THE BREECH; APIVOT PIN INTERCONNECTING SAID BODY AND THE FORK; SAID FORK COMPRISING ACLOSING MEMBER AND HAVING AN APERTURE ECCENTRIC RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OFTHE BARREL; A FIRING PIN DISPOSED IN THE BREECH SO AS TO BE ECCENTRICRELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF THE BARREL AND ENGAGEABLE IN SAID APERTURE INTHE CLOSING MEMBER ONLY WHEN THE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING THE BARREL, SAIDBLOCK AND THE FORK IS TURNED THROUGH A SUITABLE ANGLE RELATIVE TO THEBREECH.